Udupi urban tree park to get better profile

Udupi urban tree park to get better profile

Udupi, Aug 10, 2018: More facilities will be provided at the Salumarada Thimmakka Urban Tree Park located at Badagabettu village next to the TAPMI campus on the periphery of Udupi.

Though the park located on six acres of land was thrown open for the people three months ago, but it still does not have a canteen functioning in it.

A team under the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Prabhakar, visited the park recently and deliberated on the requirements of the park. It had been decided to float tenders for running the canteen. A building for the canteen had already been constructed.

“We expect the canteen to start operating by the first or second week of September,” said Cliffard Lobo, Udupi Range Forest Officer. Since there were a large number of trees in the park, it had been decided to install boards by their sides explaining their botanical names and other details.

This would help the people understand more about the trees.

To increase footfalls in the park, more boards would be put in Manipal giving directions on the way to reach the park. Though the park had started operating about three months, it had generated a good number of footfalls. “Inspite of it being monsoon season, about 700 persons visited the park last Sunday. Even though there was monsoon in June and July, the amount collected through tickets was Rs. 40,000 per month,” forest officer Lobo said. The Department of Forests would also hold talks with the district administration and the Department of Public Instruction on allowing school students to visit the park on weekdays with their teachers at a nominal fee.

“It will help increase the awareness of the students and they can get a feel of the forest at the park. A staff member from our department can be deputed to tell the students about the importance of various trees and animals, also forests and environment in general. It can be a package for schools,” he said. It had been decided to keep the park open for public from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. The entry for an adult was Rs. 10 while it was Rs. 5 for a child.